On occasion, police officers and other people need to direct traffic to maintain safety and an acceptable rate of flow. These instances may occur when (i) a traffic light is down, (ii) vehicular density is particularly high, such after a mass attendance event, (iii) construction or road repair compromises the normal free flow of traffic, and (iv) an accident has occurred hindering the free flow of traffic.
Typically, an officer stands in the road or on the side of the road often in the flow of traffic itself and using hand signals directs the movement of vehicles. If drivers do not see him/her, they may ignore his/her signaling and continue on possibly endangering themselves, pedestrians and/or the occupants of other vehicles. Even more significantly, the officer can be struck, injured or killed if the driver does not see him or her. Statistics indicate that traffic duty is one of the most dangerous tasks a police officer can perform.
To improve officer visibility, they can be provided with reflective, brightly colored vests or other suitable apparel. They may be given large paddles perhaps imprinted with a stop sign image on one side and “go” or “proceed” image on the other side to increase their visibility to motorists. Nevertheless, the inherent risks to the officer remain. Others who direct traffic, such as construction workers and crossing guards, are also subject to the same risks.